1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the preparation of glycerine ditertiary butyl ether by reaction of isobutylene with glycerine in a two phase mode and includes the phase separation of the reaction effluent and recycle of the polar phase which contains unreacted glycerine as well as glycerine monotertiary butyl ether.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The preparation of polyol alkyl ethers by reaction of an olefin such as isobutylene with a polyol such as glycerine using an acid catalyst is a known reaction.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,968,033 teaches this reaction using, for example, a sulfuric acid catalyst.
Published German Application No. P 4,222,183.8 teaches this reaction using soluble or insoluble acid catalysts such as p-toluenesulfonic acid, sulfoacetic acid, sulfosuccinic acid, sulfotriacetin, and dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,365 teaches this reaction using a highly cross-linked sulfonic acid ion exchange resin such as Amberlyst XN1010 catalyst.
In the processes of the prior art, difficulties have been encountered in the recovery of reaction products from the etherification reaction mixtures, and in the production of particular desired ether products from among the several possible products.